Sunday, April 3, 2011

Hello Everybody! In this episode I take you along on my first aerobatic ride. On September 5, 2010 I go flying with Mike Bellenir in Mike Mancuso's Extra 300L for some aerobatic flying. We did aileron rolls, loops, hammerheads, Cuban eights, 90 degree hesitation rolls and Immelmans. It was absolutely INCREDIBLE!

I take you into the cockpit with me as Mike takes me through all of the maneuvers. Mike is a great instructor and an accomplished acrobatic pilot and he really made the flight enjoyable.

The day was picture perfect, blue skies, puffy clouds and a nice little crosswind. We flew for about 20 minutes and just about all of that time was filled with aerobatic flight. My favorite maneuver was the hammerhead. You climb straight up vertical until the plane runs out of airspeed and begins to stall, you then kick the rudder and the plane pivots to the side of the rudder used and dives straight down towards the earth. You the pull out from the dive to go to straight and level flight. It was absolutely amazing.

Aerobatic flight is one of the goals that I laid out in episode 1 - Goal Setting. It is part of the New Experience category and I plan to do more this summer. I hope to add spins into the mix.

Have a listen and join me in the cockpit for some aerobatic flight. Don't worry, I didn't hurl!

Shout Outs:

Mike Bellenir for taking me up and getting me hooked on aerobatics. If you are on Long Island and would like to go up for the flight of a lifetime with a great instructor, please stop by Mid Island Air Service at Brookhaven Airport (KHWV) and sign up for a flight.